01
Aug
Aug
COURT GRANTS BAIL TO FIVE SDP LOYALISTS OF EX-KADUNA GOVERNOR EL-RUFAI
-
CapitalTimesNews / 1 week
- 0
- 2 min read
A Magistrate Court in Karu, Abuja, has granted bail to five loyalists of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who were arrested and remanded in custody over an ongoing leadership crisis in the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The defendants, who include the FCT SDP Chairman Nuradeen Bisala, his deputy Humphrey Onwukaeze, National Youth Leader Eluwa Henry, National Legal Adviser Solsuema Osaro, and National Secretary Ekpenyong Ambo, were charged with alleged criminal trespass, theft, inciting public disturbance, and mischief. Their lawyer, Ubong Akpan, argued that his clients had obtained a police permit to visit the SDP Secretariat at 17 Nairobi Street, Wuse 2 Abuja, and were therefore shocked to be accused of trespass. “It’s outrageous that the same police that gave my clients clearance will still accuse them of trespass for acting on its permit,” Akpan said. Magistrate Bala Ndajowa described the defendants as law-abiding citizens who had sought police approval before heading to the SDP Secretariat. He added that the police had placed nothing before the court to warrant denying them bail. The defendants were admitted to bail in the sum of N2 million each, with one surety who must be a resident of the FCT with a credible means of livelihood. The court has scheduled August 11 for the hearing of the matter. The defendants were remanded in custody on Monday, and their bail application was vigorously opposed by the prosecution. However, the court’s decision to grant bail has provided temporary relief to the defendants.